Washing machine



E. OCONNELL.

I WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4. I921. 1,433,221. Patented Oct. 24,1922;

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E. OCONNELL. WASHING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. 4, I92!- 1,433,221. nted Oct. 24,1922.

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E. O'CONNELL.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION-FILED APR 4, 1921.

j1,433,221.- I Patented 001:. 24, 1922.

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Patented Get. 24, 1922.

EDWARD OKCONNELL, OF ST.- LOUIS; J IVJIISSOURL wnsrmve naonrnn.;.

Application. filed April .4, 1921. Seri a1 No. 458,4 5?.

To all whom, it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD ,OGONNELL, a

citizen ofthe United States, residing at the ity of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Washing Machine, of which the. following is a specification.

This invention relates to washing machines.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved washingv machine in which the clothes are contained in a rocking tub and are cleansed by the operation of the tub rocking around a centrally supported stationary member.

' Another object of the invention is to provide an improved gearing for operating the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of the character mentioned encased within a cabinet which encloses and protects the working parts.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved machine .of the character mentioned, in combination witha wringer supported in convenient position relative to the washing mechanism andarranged to be operated from the same sourceof power that operates the washingmachine.

Another object of the invention is to produce an improved washing machine embodying any and ally of the. novel and advantageous construction and mechanism hereinafter described and claimed, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which- Fig. l is a vertical sectional view of my improved washing machine.

Fig. 2 is a view showing, the gearing, a part of the cabinet or case wall being broken away to disclose the gearing.

Fig. 3 is an inverted viewof the machine showing the gearing and connections for rocking the tub or cylinder of the washer.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevation of the gearing for operating the washing machlne and the ringer.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a device for holding a clutch shift lever in-its different adjustments.

In the embodiment shown, my invention comprises washing mechanism andgearing for operating the washing mechanism and a ringer, the washing mechanism and the gearing being ofnovel COIlStILlCtlOIl, and supported upon an appropriate frame. Preferably, though not necessarily, the. washing mechanism and the gearing are enclosed within a. cabinet or the like. In case. the mechanism is enclosed within a cabinet or the like, the walls of-said cabinet or other structure conceal and cover the mechanism; and not only protect the. mechanism, but also serve to prevent the clothing of the operator of the machine from becoming caught or entangled in the mechanism.

As shown, the machine includes an appropriate frame comprising, among other parts, an upper frame member 1 and a lower frame member 2, constituting supports for a shaft 3. The shaft 3 is journaled for rocking movement in said supports and the upper end of said shaft is connected with the bottom 5 on a rocking tub or cylinder in which the washing operation is performed. The inner surface of the bottom 5 is preferably formed withribs or corrugations 6 which perform a rubbing or scrubbing action upon the clothes when the machine is operated, as. hereinafter explained.

The enclosing cylindrical wall? 'of the tub or cylinder is united with the bottom wall, and the interior surface of the wall 7 is provided with a circumferential series of ribs or. corrugations 8 which function to scrub or rub the clothes being washed in the machine when the machine is operated as hereinafter explained.

The upper end of the tub or cylinder is provided with a removable :closure comprising a lid or cover 9, supported by a part 10 of the frame of the machine, and having an annular flange 11 extending downwardly within the upper end of the cylinder ortub. Thus, in the embodiment shown, the lid which closes one end of the tub or cylinder is stationarily supported independently of the tub or cylinder, leaving the tub or cylinder free tooperate while the lid remains stationary andyet closing the end of the tub or cylinder.

As shown, the lid or cover supports a central rubbing member 12. The rubbing mem-, ber 12 is cylindrical and is suspended axially with the tub or cylinder 7, leaving an annular spacebetweensaid part or member 12 and the wall 7 of the cylinder. The rubbing member 12 terminates somev distance above the bottom 5 of the tub, leaving a space between the lower end of the part 12 and said bottom wall Thecircumferential surface of the rubbing member 12 isprovided with a series of ribs or corrugations 13 which, together with the ribs or corrugations 8 on the cylinder wall 7, function to wash the clothes in the machine rapidly and efficiently and without injury. The lower end of the rubbing member 12 is also provided with ribs or corrugations 14, against which the clothes are rubbed by the rocking action of the tub or cylinder.

With the understanding that the tub or cylinder is rocked with sufficient rapidity to obtain the desired results and that the rubhing member 12 is stationa-rily supported, it will be understood that the clothes in the machine are rubbed by the ribs 8; also by the ribs 13, as well as the ribs on the bottom wall of the tub and on the lower end of the rubbing member 12. This rapid rubbing of the clothes over the corrugated surfaces obtains the desired results of washing the clothes without injury.

As hereinafter explained, the operating mechanism is designed and arranged to impart the desired rocking movements to the tub. The desired results are obtained by turning the tub approximately one half a revolution at each turning movement. However, the extent of movement imparted to the tub may be varied as desired, as we do not limit ourselves in this particular.

The mechanism for imparting the rocking movement to the tub comprises a lever 15 in connection with the shaft 3. This lever may be operated to impart the desired rocking'movement by appropriate means such as the gearing shown. As shown, a link 16 has one end pivoted to the lever 15 and its opposite end pivoted to the lever 17 on a shaft 18. The shaft 18 is equipped with a gear wheel 19 meshing with a gear wheel 20 on a shaft 21. Either the gear wheel 19 or the gear wheel 20 is fixed to its shaft, while the other gear wheel is loose on its shaft, and provided with a clutch device for clutching the loose gear wheel to its shaft. As shown, the gear wheel 20 is loose on the shaft 21 and a clutch member 22 on the shaft 21 is movable into or out of clutching engagement with the hub of the gear wheel 20, as required, to clutch said gear wheel 20 to the shaft, or to release said gear wheel 20 as desired. A lever 23 is 0peratively mounted in a support 24 and engages the clutch member 22 in the well understood manner, and is operative to shift the clutch member 22 into or out of clutching engagement with the hub of the gear wheel 20. The lever 23 may be latched in its different positions, as required, to hold the clutch member 22 into or out of clutching engagement by an appropriate latching device. A desirable form of such latching device is shown (Fig. 5), the same comprising a detent 25, operatively mounted in a support 26, and actuated by springs 27 to engage in appropriate recesses or indentations in the lever 23, and thereby hold said lever. However, the latch device does not prevent the lever from being shifted manually.

The shaft 21 is rotated by connections from the motor 28. Any efficient connections may be "used for this purpose such as a belt 29 operated by the motor and passing over a pulley 30 on the shaft 21.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the rocking movements are imparted to the tub or cylinder 7 by the continuous rotation of the shaft 21 in one direction. Vhile, as stated, satisfactory results are obtained by turning the tub or cylinder 7 somewhat less than half of a revolution, the extent of movement thereof may be varied as desired.

It is preferable to provide cushioning means to stop turning movement of the tub in opposite directions. Appropriate cushioning means for this purpose are shown in Fig. 3. As shown the tub or cylinder 7 is provided with projections 31 arranged to strike against yielding bumpers 32. These bumpers may be of any desirable yielding arrangement and, as shown, are mounted in supports 33, being actuated outwardly by springs 34 so that when the projections 31 strike the bumpers the turning movement of the tub will be stopped thereby. The springs 34 yield, thereby cushioning the stopping of the tub. To permit efficient operation in this regard the connection between the link 16 and the lever 17 includes a pin and slot construction 35.

The complete machine shown includes a wringer operatively supported above the cabinet and arranged to be operated from the shaft 21. As shown the vertical shaft 36 is supported for rotation within the cabinet and is arranged to be rotated in either direction as desired. A gear wheel 37 is attached to the lower end of the shaft 36 and has permanent mesh with two ears 38 loosely supported on the shaft 21. A clutch member 39 is mounted on the shaft 21 and is movable into and out of clutching engagement with the hubs of the gear wheels respectively; so that when the clutching member 39 engages the hub of one of the wheels 38 the other gear wheel remains loose on the shaft. Thus, by shiftin the clutch member 39 properly direction of rotation of the shaft 36 may be varied as de sired. A clutch shift lever 40 engages the clutch member 39 in the well understood manner and is pivot-ally mounted in a support 41 and is provided with equipment such as that shown in Fig. 5 for holding said lever in its different adjusted positions.

The upper end of the shaft- 36 is within a sleeve bearing 42 (Fig. 2). The upper end of the shaft 36 is arranged and formed to engage and operate a shaft 43 removably supported in the sleeve bearing 42. One form of such construction is shown in Fig. 2 in which the adjacent ends of the shafts 36 and 43 are provided with tongue and groove construction, whereby the shaft 43 may be engaged with the shaft 36 for rotation thereby. The upper end of the shaft 43 supports a wringer 44, one of the shafts of which is equipped with a bevel gear 45 meshing with a similar gear 46 on the shaft 43. The wringer is in connection with the sleeve bearing 42 which is capable of being turned to different adjusted positions to support the wringer in different positions. F or holding the wringer in its different ad justed positions the sleeve bearing 42 is pro vided with a flange 47 having appropriate recesses therein adapted to receive a latch member 48 actuated by a spring 49. This latch device is effective to hold the wringer in any adjustment in which it is placed, but will yield to permit the wringer to be turned positively to different positions.

As shown, the entire operating mechanism with the exception of the exposed portions of the wringer is enclosed within an appropriate cabinet or case. The lid or cover 9 forms a part of the upper wall of the cabinet or case and is held stationary thereon, thereby holding the rubbing member 12 stationary, while the tub or cylinder 7 is rocked to wash the clothes. The entire machine is compact. Since the wringer may-be removed, the cabinet may be used as a table when the washing machine and wringer are not in use.

For convenience in moving the machine from place to place caster wheels 50 may be employed.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a machine which accomplishes all of its intended purposes in a highly eflicient manner. It is obvious that the construction and arrangement of the different parts comprised within the invention may be varied without departure from the principle and nature thereof.

I do not restrict myself to unessential features, but what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is r?- l. A washing machine, comprising a frame, a tub supported for rocking movements in the frame, a shaft for rocking said tub, a lever attached to said shaft, a rotary shaft, a lever attached to said rotary shaft, a link having one end pivoted to the first named lever and having an elongated slot in its opposite end, a part on the secondnamed lever engaging in said slot and permitting a relative movement between the second named lever and said link, elastic bumpers supported by the frame, and projections on the tub arranged to strike against said bumpers to stop rocking movements of the tub.

2. A washing machine, comprising a supporting frame, a tub supported for rocking movements within the frame, mechanism for imparting rocking movements to the tub, a closure for the tub supported by the frame and remaining stationary when the tub is rocking, an annular flange on said closure extending into the upper end of the tub and holding the tub and closure in proper relative positions, and a rubbing member supported by said closure within said flange and extending downwardly into the tub.

3. A washing machine, comprising a supporting frame, a tub supported for rocking movements within the frame, mechanism for imparting rocking movements to the tub, a closure for the tub supported by the frame and remaining stationary when the tub is rocking, an annular flange on said closure extending into the upper end of the tub and holding the tub and closure in proper relative positions, a rubbing member supported by said closure within said flange and extending downwardly into the tub, a series of vertical ribs or corrugations on the inner surface of the tub, and on the outer surface of the rubbing member respectively, and a series of corrugations on the bottom of the tub and on the bottom of the rubbing member respectively.

4. In a machine of the character described, a frame, a vertical shaft journaled for rocking movements in the frame, a tub in connection with said shaft, a lever attached to said shaft, a drive shaft, an intermediate shaft driven by the drive shaft, a lever attached to the intermediate shaft, a link pivoted to the lever of the first-named shaft, a pin and slot device connecting said link with the lever on the intermediate shaft to permit relative movements between said second lever and said link and to impart rocking movements to the tub by the continuous rotation of the intermediate shaft in one direction, bumpers supported by the frame, and projections on the tub arranged to strike against said bumpers to stop rocking movements of the tub.

5. A washing machine, comprising a stationary frame, a vertical shaft journaled for rocking movements in the frame, a tub attached to and supported by the upper end of said shaft, mechanism for rocking said shaft and thereby the tub, a closure for the tub supported by the frame, an annular flange supported by the closure and extending into the upper end of the tub to hold the tub and closure in proper relative positions, and a rubbing member supported by the closure and extending into the tub.

EDW ARD OCONNELL. 

